Australia's essential workers are spending two-thirds of their income on average on housing as the rental affordability crisis prices them out of their communities, 9 News reports.
The stark finding comes in a new report today that showed workers in aged care, hospitality, freight packing and postal services were among those most impacted.
Comparing rental data with the award wages for 15 essential worker categories, the national housing campaign Everybody's Home found there were very few regions in Australia where essential workers could afford to rent alone.
"So many essential industries are facing workforce shortages with workers unable to afford to stay or move to parts of the country where these shortages are at their worst," Everybody's Home spokesperson Maiy Azize said.
The 'Priced Out' report found that since March 2020, essential workers have lost an average of six hours from their weekly income to rent increases. That is an average of 37 days each year.
Workers on the lowest award rates would be left with about $20 a day after paying rent, based on the capital city average.
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Essential workers bearing brunt of Australia's housing crisis (9 News)
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